A/N: And thus, The Mist series finally ends. Their suffering ends here, for better or worse~ Now all that's left is to see their fates~
Enjoy~
The Mist 2: Rescue Operations
Epilogue
The soft tweeting of birds tickled Enterprise's ears, sleep slowly fading as she returned to the waking world.
Her long hair tickled her cheek as she shifted, eyes cracking open and gazing at the opposing white wall blankly. Coherency slowly returned to her, tempting the young woman to slowly shift her elbows beneath herself and sit up.
It was morning; the sky outside her room window an alluring blue with only a scarce few clouds drifting across it. The window was open, allowing a gentle breeze to weave into her room, making her thin bed covers shift lightly.
The white walls of the hospital room were bright but comforting, the morning light illuminating the room in perfect clarity. The sunlight didn't fall onto her side of the hospital at this time of the morning, leaving her side of the building mercifully cool; no sunlight there to pierce into the room and make it feel all stuffy. Instead it was pleasantly cool, soothing her nerves and tempting her to just sit there, breathing as she enjoyed the calm.
Knock-Knock-Knock~
''Come in.'' Enterprise called out, eyes fluttering back open.
The door clicked open in response, sliding partway open and allowing a familiar head of blonde hair to poke itself inside – Hornet. ''Yo. You up?''
''Clearly.'' Enterprise smiled exasperatedly.
Hornet flashed her a grin, sauntering into the doorway and leaning against the door-frame. ''Heh. Just came to check on you – our little get-together is due to happen shortly, so get ready. Want me to wait for you here?''
''No, it's fine.'' The silver-haired carrier shook her head, sitting upright. ''I'll just go get showered first.''
''Cool with me. See you at the helipad.''
With a two-fingered salute Hornet departed, shutting the door behind her. Enterprise waited until her footsteps were gone before sliding out of her bed, meandering over to the corner where a basket was waiting. A clean uniform, freshly-ironed and with her coat and hat alongside it. She took it out and carefully folded it over her arm, not wanting to crease it too much, and carried it over towards the adjoined bathroom.
Being a hospital room it wasn't the most luxurious of bathrooms, just what was necessary for basic comfort and no more, but it was a welcome reprieve from before. She laid her clothes down on a small shelf and stripped herself of her white hospital pyjamas, a simple twist of a knob causing a spray of cool water to spit down into the shower cubicle. It quickly warmed up, the spraying water bouncing off her pale flesh as she stepped inside, exhaling.
''Haah...''
How long had it been since she'd had a shower? Two weeks, she knew, but it felt like so much longer. When she and Hornet were trapped in the mist things like washing up were fairly low on the list, with things like food and drinking water taking precedence – and of course, not getting molested by the monsters that lurked around every corner. The two of them had to raid food storages, scavenging off the meagre scraps that the monsters hadn't consumed. Mercifully they had the foresight to take a modest supply with them during their raids, so when the food did end up running out, they still had some to live off of.
''...Mm...'' Enterprise shut her eyes, tipping her head back and letting the water spray over her face, washing away the dirt and grime.
The mist was finally gone. It had dissipated fully shortly after Corruption had been killed, allowing everyone injured to be evacuated. Those still able spent the rest of the day clearing out the remaining monsters, blowing them apart with the combined fire of dozens of warships. Larger ones like Oni and Minotaur stood no chance; they were too big a target. Smaller ones like Nightstalkers or Scorpio lasted longer, but they fell too. Even the likes of Bugs died quickly, though even now fresh batches of Ship-Girls were patrolling the base and clearing up every last inch of the base, including all the underground tunnels and forested areas.
Following the end of the mist, all those injured – Enterprise herself included – were brought to a secret military base a good distance away from the ruined naval base, both to recover and also to contain any... problems, that might arise from being pregnant with literal monsters. Many Ship-Girls had been rescued from the mist and almost every one of them were pregnant, with Vestal being the first to give birth; to a monstrous mantis-wasp hybrid. Due to its immediate hostility to the military doctors to who helped her give birth, the decision was made to kill it on the spot. Newly-born as it was, all it took was a few bullets of a rifle to down it, lacking any sort of exoskeleton to protect it.
Vestal was fairly torn up about it. Though whether she was actually agonised over its demise, or she was just so mind broken with her delusions of a 'hive', nobody knew.
Enterprise sighed, carefully grasping the bottle of shampoo and squirting some into her hand. The fluid was white and for the briefest of moments she hesitated to put it in her hair, the similarities of cum uncomfortably familiar – but she mentally slapped herself, telling herself to stop being stupid. The simple mental slap was enough to dispel the thought and she massaged the shampoo into her long hair, grimacing as she ran her slim fingers through the many tugs within.
Despite being 'lucky' compared to her companions, she knew everyone else wasn't so fortunate.
Akatsuki, Ikazuchi and Inazuma were never found in the mist. DNA sampling of some skeletons indicated that they had died, and from the pelvic fractures and damage to their ribs and spine, it was clear that they had been nabbed by something large like an Oni, and quite literally fucked to death. Their corpses were more than likely left out in the open and picked clean by scavengers, the monsters using them for food when none else existed.
Shigure's corpse was thawed out and then laid to rest back in the Sakura Empire, buried alongside all the other Sakura Empire Ship-Girls that had died in the past. Yuudachi on the other hand still lived, but mentally was unsalvageable. She was very dog-like by nature, but had previously just had a canine attitude. Now she was a full-on dog in all but body – her mannerisms, her eating patterns, even her body movements and manner of speaking became like a dog, all of her words barked out in short, quick breaths.
She pitied whatever might happen to her. No amount of therapy would cure her, apparently. Only option was for someone to 'tame' her attitude and let her live her life out like a dog, for better or worse.
The fact she was also pregnant left many unsure of what to do. She wasn't exactly in the right state of mind to make such a decision about what to do over it.
Atago and Takao had been badly injured, both having given birth multiple times. They had lived on the bare-minimum energy necessary to exist, often being fed the meat of other monsters just to survive. Whilst eating the raw meat mercifully didn't poison them, it turns out monsters weren't a good source of energy for Ship-Girls; thus both were left physically and mentally weak. But both were slowly getting better, and it was expected that they would make a full recovery, albeit with scars to show. Neither were currently pregnant, mercifully.
Ryuujou, like Akatsuki and her sisters, was never found. Bone fragments on the top of the massive Jellyfish indicated she had been present there at some point; which combined with the knowledge that the giant Dragon had been nesting up there led many to the conclusion she had been the Dragon's mate. Considering the massive size of the Dragon's cock, and it was grimly obvious to say she didn't survive the mating process. How she managed to give birth to the Drakin was anyone's guess; with the only reasonable explanation being that she laid eggs rather than gave birth to fully formed offspring.
Though when one considered how big a Drakin was, then Enterprise imagined those hypothetical eggs were quite big. She pitied the carrier.
Portland and Indianapolis were both rescued shortly after the mist cleared, though they didn't go willingly. Portland had to literally be hauled away from Indianapolis screeching and thrashing, almost psychotic in her desire to stay with her younger sister. Mercifully Portland began to calm down after waking up back at the base, and after entertaining a group of psychologists, was in a slightly better state of mind. That being she changed from outright psychotic, to just possessive bordering on yandere when it came to Indianapolis. The dark-skinned cruiser was recovering much better, almost seeming to return to her normal self, though Enterprise worried there might be more damage buried deep down. Both were pregnant, and that might only complicate their mental recovery further, but only time would tell.
Vampire's body had been found and was confirmed KIA, her corpse having only been preserved thanks to it being so out-of-the-way. She was fixed up and returned to the Royal Isles to be buried properly, similar to Shigure's situation.
Two skeletons that had been identified as belonging to Javelin and Juno were located at the bottom of the ocean, within a small cave I-19 had been hiding inside of. Their killers were unknown and damage to their skeletons didn't give a good indication either, so their skeletons were bundled up and sent back to the Royal Isles along with Vampire's body, all three set to get a medal for defending the base even in face of such danger.
Fubuki on the other hand had been killed by the bugs nested down in the bunker, and her corpse kept for autopsy to make sure nothing insectoid remained in her corpse – the last thing anyone needed was some parasite-like bug to be shipped off to the Sakura Empire. Z23 herself was mercifully alive, though the girl in question was barely responsive. She was conscious but barely aware of her surroundings, perhaps owing to suffering through two whole weeks of listening to nothing but incessant buzzing in her ears and having insects mate with her relentlessly. She only ever spoke when asked by a doctor if she wanted to purge the insect currently growing in her womb, the only answer being a croaky 'yes' and no more. The operation was set to take place later in the day.
'...hopefully she'll get better.' Enterprise thought to herself, sliding her hands over herself as she washed.
Those who had been corrupted by Corruption were another story entirely. For one, even without Corruption around anymore, their corrupted forms remained – instead, they found that they could switch between their normal selves and the Succubi forms; the latter bringing with it the ability to grow an inky-black cock at will, though their manipulation of Corruption's inky sludge mostly ended there. Testing indicated that when in their Succubi forms they became infertile, but when they went back to normal they would be fertile again; making it an 'easy birth control', as St. Louis had so self-depreciatingly pointed out.
St. Louis herself was mostly fine now, mentally, aside from the trauma that would come with living through the mist. The same could be said for Unicorn, Ark Royal, Choukai, Kisaragi and Mutsuki; scarred, but alive and mentally sane. None were pregnant either, thanks to the black cum's corruptive, but not impregnating effects. Helena though had been hit hard by her Commander's death, and though her will remained strong she was still hurting inside, and could often be found crying late in the night or in the shower, hugging herself.
'Maybe I should have a talk with St. Louis about that...' Enterprise made a mental note of that, grimacing.
Other infected girls though were dealt different hands. Le Malin was sane but stricken with guilt over what she did to her sister, and Le Triomphant felt burdened by guilt over attacking her allies, even if she wasn't in the right mind. Both suffered severe injuries in their brief battle with Bismarck and Tirpitz, with broken bones and bruised muscles, but were expected to make a full recovery within a few weeks.
Speaking of which, Bismarck and Tirpitz were both alright, at least compared to their allies. Bismarck had suffered several puncture wounds, including through her torso and her thigh, and Tirpitz had suffered her own share of injuries. Both were expected to make a full recovery though; Bismarck herself already working from her bed to organise stricter defences around Ironblood ports, in the vain hope to avoid such a scenario in future.
'Maybe I should speak with her about that.' Enterprise noted lightly, rinsing her hair. 'The Ironblood are good at protecting their ports. Could learn a few things from them.'
Other Ship-Girls weren't so 'lucky' as to be claimed by Corruption, though. Both Admiral Hipper and Prinz Eugen had been rescued from the clutches of Lizardmen, pregnant and mentally broken. Prinz Eugen was making headway towards mental recovery, her stubborn spirit allowing her to even have a verbal spat with one of the doctors, but she was still weak. It would take time for her to recover fully, and Admiral Hipper was expected to take a good deal longer; still comatose herself. Though with Eugen's aid, it was likely she would recover sooner. What they would do with their offspring though remained unknown.
Brooklyn and Hammann were both dead; that was certain from DNA samples of some bones found in the bunker. Much like some others their bones were collected and sent back to the Eagle Union for a proper burial, with talks of them getting a proper military funeral to honour them for defending the bunker.
Though privately, Enterprise had to wonder how many funerals they would be having in the next few weeks.
Nagara and Isuzu might be eligible for one, but how it would happen was unknown. According to reports given by others, life-like hedge statues of the two could be found in the base's garden, apparently petrified by some unknown monster – perhaps done so by the massive flower monster itself. However when Cleveland and her sisters fought against it alongside the other corrupted girls they had set it on fire, and subsequently burned the whole garden down; alongside Isuzu and Nagara's statues. It was assumed both were dead anyway and there was no way of saving them, but the thought still struck the girls with guilt, regretting not at least trying to save the hedge statues before leaving.
The skeleton of Z46 had been found only last night, having been floating aimlessly through the shallower areas of the ocean. Per the request of Z2, who had been close with Z46, her skeleton was cremated and returned to the Ironblood headquarters as part of a memorial – allowing the Destroyer to be forever remembered, as she would've wanted. Taihou on the other hand was nowhere to be found, though odd claims of seeing her in the surrounding cities had circulated every so often, alongside strange sightings of Amazon too; the blonde having gone missing during a rescue attempt for Avrora. Further investigation would be required, and fears of a possible runaway shape-shifter were abound.
''Hopefully not...'' Enterprise murmured to herself, shifting around so her back faced the shower's spray.
The three Submarines that had been trapped in the mist all ended up differently. Albacore was currently pregnant with McSub's offspring, the mutant Dolphin having impregnated her to save her the pain of giving birth to the much larger Stalker offspring. Otherwise she was remarkably fine mentally, perhaps owing to her prior experience. McSub himself was set to earn a medal for his work, regardless if the dolphin understood the significance of it or not. Some expensive fish food would probably be more of a reward, she imagined.
Dace though was found trapped in one of the many storage rooms in the bunker, barely alive and her body scarred with countless injuries ranging from bite wounds on her breasts to scratches on her stomach to injection marks on her thighs, the latter courtesy of a Scorpio. She had effectively been handed around to dozens of different monster species, raped repeatedly and broken in both body and spirit. Currently she was recovering, comatose, with her recovery being uncertain.
U-47 however proved to be the most interesting case study, since her entire human body had been transformed into that of a giant black shark thing. Nobody even knew how to begin turning her back, if it was even possible, but a team of scientists were determined to do it. U-47 had been remarkably placid thankfully, much like her original self, so she was content to just be transported into an inland lake and just wait around for a while. Compared to others she even had some level of comfort, being given a TV located on the edge of the lake to watch movies from.
''Hmph...'' Enterprise cracked a faint smile at the thought. Though the circumstances weren't ideal, she imagined U-47 rather liked her newfound peace and quiet, and the utter lack of work.
Others were also appreciating the peace, though for entirely different reasons. Saratoga had been one of the carriers rescued from the mist's clutches, having evaded an Oni attack but getting violated by bugs instead. Lexington unfortunately didn't make it out of the mist; nothing but broken bones remaining of her corpse. Saratoga clearly still beat herself up over the loss, and though she didn't say anything Enterprise could tell she was hurting.
Cygnet had also been caught by the bugs, and while she was conscious and fairly alright when compared to her allies, she was still shaken from it. The slightest buzzing sound would send her into a panic, and when one of the doctors had accidentally left a machine unplugged and caused it to buzz for a solid thirty seconds, Cygnet ended up in tears over it and curled up into the fetal position. So long as that trigger was avoided, though, she was somewhat alright. Though that unintentionally made it harder to remember that traumatic trigger.
Enterprise paused as she ran her fingers through her hair, tugging near her fringe – her spine stiffening on reflex. She wasn't without her own triggers. Though mercifully, losing control of herself and freezing up was the only thing she suffered. So long as she stared straight ahead, memories of the Trolls that had face-fucked her so roughly stayed far out of her thoughts.
''Haah...'' Enterprise reached out, turning the shower off. She'd been showering too long anyway.
Shaking her head Enterprise stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying her hair. As she did so she passed the wall-mounted mirror, spotting a blue-black bruise on her side – giving her pause. It wasn't anything special, just an injury she'd received from Corruption from a stray attack; nothing but blunt trauma having caused the bruise.
But it reminded her of the others. Jintsuu had been littered with such bruises, having been found in the tunnels of the bunker after the attack had ended. Unconscious but alive she was taken back like the rest of them, and last she heard remained in a coma. The same, however, could not be said of Kawakaze.
The Destroyer was feral. No buts, no questions. Even now she remained chained up within one of the most secure rooms in the base, snarling and spitting at anyone who dared enter the darkened room, caged like a beast. Enterprise had seen the Destroyer herself when getting taken in; she'd seen the wild, mad eyes of someone who had lost their humanity. Perhaps she would regain that humanity now that she was subdued in battle, all her offspring were killed and she was back with society. Perhaps not; only time would tell.
''Humanity...'' Enterprise murmured to herself, drying her body off.
San Diego and Laffey had also been brought in. Both heavily pregnant, and were due any day. Laffey could be mistakenly be called alright, but it was just that; a mistake. The stoic girl barely spoke even in the presence of friends, and often stared at nothing for extended periods of time; giving her a dead look to her eyes. San Diego wasn't much better, but the bustier cruiser looked outright crazy with her wild grin and dead stare, unsettling all those that visited her. The true extent of the damage done to her remained unknown.
Juneau and Long Island, on the other hand, were definitely dead. Their corpses were barely in-tact when they were found amidst a swarm of spiders, their stomachs and pelvises burst open. The leading theory was that the Spiders that had grown within their wombs had eaten through them, leaving only their outer most layer whilst leaving a compacted mass of Spiders within their hollowed-out corpses. And when the Giant Spider had been killed, all those Spiders had rushed forth, assaulting well over a dozen Ship-Girls in a horrifying manner.
Several died from suffocation as Spiders climbed down their throats and laid their eggs inside their stomachs and throats. Those that perished were given a mercy, compared to those that were later rescued – namely by getting shot at with their own allies with high-explosive shells, setting the Spiders on-fire and stomping on the ones that remained. Even then, a few of the rescuers were violated too, such was the sheer number of furry creatures.
''Hah...'' Enterprise shivered at the thought, subconsciously looking around the room. She'd find no monster Spiders nearby, but she suddenly felt quite uneasy around regular spiders. Paranoia speaking, most likely.
Suddenly feeling uncomfortable Enterprise tossed her towel aside, snatching up her clothes and throwing them on swiftly. She fumbled a bit with her bra, her fingers still slightly stiff, and the buttons of her shirt came together with more ease than she was comfortable with – she'd probably lost a good deal of weight thanks to surviving on so little food for so long. Still she was able to get her clothes on and fitting right, her hat and coat coming on last.
That done, Enterprise set off. She departed the bathroom, having the manners to leave her dirty towels and pyjamas in the wash basket before leaving her assigned room altogether. The hospital hallway beyond felt a touch grimmer than her own room did, an air of despair hanging thick overhead even with the warm sunshine pouring in through the windows. Many medical staff or military officers were walking around, some sparing her a glance and a nod whilst others passed her by without acknowledgement, too caught up in their duties to pay her any mind.
'I wonder how long we'll stay here?' Enterprise thought quietly.
It would depend, she knew. Some would take months if not years, whilst others like herself might be ready for field duty again in just a matter of weeks; with psychiatric appointments though, she imagined. The mental stability of many was shaken at the least or shattered at the worst, and even she knew she'd need a therapist to come to terms with all that had happened – including the Ghost within her.
Ever since the mist had disappeared, its presence had been fairly tamed, seemingly having given up any thoughts of resistance. Perhaps her will was so great it gave up, or perhaps even it was just trying to lure her into a false sense of security. Whatever the case, she'd need an unbiased ear to listen to her and make a judgement. On one hand, it was a monster, and one that could possess her at the worst possible time if given the chance. On the other hand, it was a tactical asset and one of the few things that could reliably control the monsters.
If a situation like this happened in future, then her and her Ghost would prove invaluable.
Nodding slightly Enterprise resigned herself to having to talk with such a therapist, even if it made her uncomfortable – she wasn't the most open person, after all. Still, it had to be done, and it would be poor form for her to deny having a therapist but insisting her comrades get one.
Sunlight graced her shoulder as she passed, movement ahead of her forcing her to stop. Her eyes flickered in front of herself, lifting from where they gazed at the floor tiles – and surprise filled her as she found who was sat in front of her in a wheelchair. Fusou.
''Ah...'' Fusou smiled weakly at her. ''Apologies for getting in your way, Enterprise-san.''
''No, it's alright.'' Enterprise immediately denied. ''Are you going outside again?''
''Mm.'' Fusou's smile was warm, if fragile. ''Yamashiro wanted to see them, and I can't let that girl go off on her own.''
Enterprise nodded slowly, a pang echoing in her heart. Fusou and Yamashiro had been rescued shortly after the mist had ended; both having been kept hostage by the Lizardman on the upper floors. They had suffered the same humiliation as Prinz Eugen and Admiral Hipper, with all the abuse and pregnancies that came with it. Both girls had apparently given birth just an hour before the rescue operation happened, saving them from being pregnant when they were rescued, but the damage was done.
Fusou escaped with mental and physical scars, but her resilient nature and strong will kept her sane, if severely shaken up and uncomfortable with crowds. Physically though Fusou had one of her hips broken, keeping her bound in a chair for the time being. Yamashiro though was now entirely dependant on Fusou, often becoming lost and scared when Fusou wasn't in sight – the only exception being when she was in a garden with flowers. Perhaps it was a happy memory for her, or she just liked flowers so much it distracted her for a bit, but being in the gardens of the base was one way to keep Yamashiro calm at least for some stretch of time, allowing Fusou some time alone.
Fusou must've seen something on her face, for the wheelchair-bound Battleship suddenly paused. ''You know, Enterprise-san... I don't blame you for what happened.''
''W-What?''
''That look in your eyes. Its the same one you often bore when something terrible happened and you took to blaming yourself.'' Fusou said in a gentle tone, her eyes quietly sorrowful. ''I just want to tell you that nobody blames you. The Sirens were responsible for this, not you.''
''I...'' Enterprise glanced aside. ''Thank you, Fusou.''
Fusou just smiled, bidding her a quiet goodbye before grabbing the wheels of her chair and wheeling herself away, making her way down the long hallway towards the gardens.
Enterprise watched her go, stuck in place. Logically, she understood that there was nothing she could've done. Pure logic dictated that it was a miracle she had survived in the mist for as long as she had, and if anything she should be praised for helping take down Corruption and ending the mist altogether, alongside freeing the corrupted girls from a possible worse fate. Yet that thought did little to abate the lingering guilt that swam around in her stomach, reminding her of the many times she had scavenged for food and overheard girls getting raped, yet did nothing to help them for fear of getting caught.
Logic dictated it was a smart, wise decision. Her heart ached at the fact those girls suffered, that they possibly died because she hadn't dared revealed herself, acting like a cowardly rat hiding from a conniving cat. Such as the time she found Hood, Illustrious and Belfast getting defiled by a bunch of Lizardman, and she had just escaped with food in hand, praying for their safety. It was a small mercy that all three had survived with their lives in-tact, though all suffered for it.
Hood became more fragile and distant, Illustrious seemed lost in thought to an unhealthy degree, replaying the events in her mind, and Belfast had become very bitter and cynical, most of it becoming directed at the unborn monster within her.
Fusou's words didn't erase the guilt she felt, but they did help ease the weight of it slightly.
''Haah.'' Enterprise exhaled a quick breath, forcing herself to keep walking.
Overall, most of her comrades from the base had survived. Some had died, but the majority had survived, albeit in varying states of damage. The same could not be said for two in particular; Ping Hai and Ning Hai. The two had somehow been transformed into massive Jellyfishes, one red-orange and the other purple; their human bodies trapped with the core of the Jellyfish. Both had been freed from the Jellyfish corpses but remained in a deep coma, their very survival uncertain. Physically they were fine, perfect even, but spiritually was another question entirely.
Last she heard some of the top scientists were investigating their Wisdom Cubes for irregularities, hoping to find a cure. She wished them luck; she had a feeling they'd need it.
Sunlight shone down on her as Enterprise reached the end of the hallway, light pouring in through the window next to the two metal doors. She pushed open one door almost idly, stepping out into the morning sunshine – a stark contrast to the weeks of dilapidation and grey skies she had endured during the mist. The outdoor area was just a simple greenery area, with a garden and small pond, with a few military officers lingering near the edges just to keep guard.
She nodded at one who spotted her, mostly out of politeness. He nodded back and went back to his guard duty, prompting Enterprise herself to continue with her own – meandering around the edge of the garden area. She briefly spotted Fusou talking with Yamashiro near the pond, both admiring some lilies, and a few other Ship-Girls were about too. She didn't stay to speak with them however, continuing on until she reached a gated fence, a guard waiting next to it.
A simple look at her was more than enough to ascertain her purpose; more than likely having been informed ahead of time. He simply nodded, unlocked the gate with his key, and opened it for her.
''Thank you.'' Enterprise said quietly, passing him.
The gate shut behind her and she walked down a long strip of beige stone, passing between two buildings before breaking out into a wider concrete area. Stairs ascended upwards and formed a helipad; one of multiple that existed around the base. But the helipad wasn't what caught her attention. Rather, it was the military helicopter slowly descending, the wheels just now touching down.
Hornet stood nearby, smiling bitterly even as the winds blew past them, ruffling the blonde's coat as she held onto her hat. Enterprise moved to stand next to her, the two of them sharing a tight look.
The mist was finally over, and though they had lost many comrades to either death or broken wills, they had survived if nothing else.
And any such thoughts took a back-seat as the helicopter door opened, allowing Yorktown to rush out with tears in her eyes as she snatched them up in a tight hug, holding onto them for dear life.
'It's good to be together, once again...'
X-x-X
Bismarck was tired.
Perhaps that came as thanks to her injuries – getting pierced by a sword through her leg and stomach wasn't easily shaken off, even by a Battleship of her calibre, and she had only been resting for a day at most. Alternatively it could simply be a result of what happened to her at the hands of Corruption, though she doubted it somewhat. It was probably just general fatigue, in all likelihood.
Sighing the Battleship leaned back against her bed, shutting her eyes – abandoning her work for the time being. The room was silent, only the muted movements from the walls beyond registering, alongside the faint voices coming in through her open window; bringing with it a cool breeze. It was a welcome change compared to the chaos that had initially come with the disappearance of the mist, of hundreds of soldiers rushing in to provide aid and help with logistics.
''...haah...'' She exhaled a long breath. It had been a long couple days.
She'd read the report from Graf Zeppelin, about how things went on her end. Mercifully nothing bad; the Destroyers had gotten a bit beat up and took some injuries, but all of them had escaped without any fatalities. The Sirens had mostly let them go without much of a fight, and Bismarck suspected the whole reason for the sudden Siren attack was to lure herself and Tirpitz in. Graf Zeppelin agreed with such a suspicion; the timing was just too coincidental.
That said, even Graf Zeppelin had been stunned at the extent of the damage the mist had wrought upon the rescue fleet. Dozens dead, incapacitated, and many more defiled. She had painstakingly read through the official log, crude as it was, that had been assembled for her and the other fleet leaders.
Sheffield had been one of the first to get captured, caught by some Huggers in the forest. Impregnated by the little creatures she was forced to give birth to eggs the size of tennis balls, from which more Huggers were born. Weakened as she was by the constant asphyxiation, Sheffield still had the strength to summon one of her handguns to her in the medical ward and shot the eggs apart, apparently uncaring of the damage to the room she dealt. Bismarck didn't blame her; the sooner the parasites were dead, the better, and now they were most certainly dead.
'Though whether more exist out there is another question entirely...'
I-19 had been rescued from an underwater cave a good while after the mist had faded, apparently having hidden there until she noticed the number of monsters had lessened. Currently pregnant and traumatised, but otherwise fine. The same couldn't be said for I-26 and I-58, both girls having perished, their corpses found at the bottom of the ocean. Both were pregnant when they died, though their perishing meant that whatever was inside them was doomed to die regardless.
On the surface Ayanami had been found within one of the warehouses, trapped by a pair of Demons when she was rescued and her captors killed. Last she heard the Destroyer was currently comatose, her mind broken by the extreme sadism Demons were known to exhibit, the wounds on her lithe body evidence of that. Hibiki had also been located, but unlike Ayanami Hibiki was no longer among the living. Her insides crushed, her hips broken, her womb destroyed. The Taurus that had claimed her was killed, but it was too late to save the poor Destroyer. She was currently being touched up before being returned to the Sakura Empire for burial.
Mercifully, not everyone died.
Urakaze and Yukikaze had been nearby in the cafeteria. Urakaze walked away from the mist with moderate injuries but ultimately survived, albeit with a battered pride and a pregnancy courtesy of some Hellhounds. Yukikaze on the other hand was a bit more severe. She'd been injured by Yuudachi before the latter had been subdued, resulting in the loss of her right eye. The eye itself had been saved, but her vision was not; the iris discoloured from the nails that had raked down it. Her subsequent rape ended in an inevitable pregnancy, but otherwise she had survived with only a few bite and claws marks.
''Maybe if Akashi gets better, she can fix it...'' Bismarck murmured aloud to herself, pondering the possibility. Akashi's abilities as a Repair Ship were unique, so there was a chance. But the longer a wound existed without treatment, the harder it was for her to fix it.
Only time would tell.
That said, there were more Ship-Girls that were caught than those mentioned thus far. Sirius and Dido had both been caught, previously having rescued multiple Ship-Girls from the Lizardmen's den. Battered and bruised, they escaped with their lives but not their prides. Pregnancy was the least of their worries, and while they were expected to make a full physical recovery soon, mentally they were shattered. Believing themselves worthless, void of purpose. She had overheard a commotion halfway through the night and found out just an hour ago that Dido had tried to end herself, stopped only when Sirius begged her not to leave her alone in the world.
Formidable and Victorious were two other Royal Navy girls who fell victim to the mist's clutches. Captured by Goatmen they were broken physically and mentally. Victorious suffered some internal injuries but the worst of the damage was to her mind, remaining comatose in a medical coma for the most part. Formidable was better off, having suffered similar internal injuries thanks to the creature's girth, but otherwise the most wounded thing about her was her pride, her cynical nature shining through more as a result.
'Seems like the Royals took as much as a beating as the Ironblood...' Bismarck had to grimly note, finding neither pleasure nor satisfaction in the fact. Defeat was one thing, defilement and humiliation was another.
Amongst the many Royal Navy girls that had been defiled, Ajax and Neptune stood out. Ajax, a well-known sadist, had become suddenly withdrawn and quiet, her sadistic ways uncomfortably absent – leaving her a hollow shell of who she once was. Neptune however was much worse off, her body broken and spirit crushed. Her nature as a Prototype Ship-Girl gave her enhanced durability compared to her peers, but that only extended her suffering rather than relieve it.
The Minotaur that had nabbed her had its fun with her for a good while. The end result was broken hips, crushed organs and a shattered pride. It was perhaps then a mercy she was in a medical coma while doctors repaired her lower half, putting back together fragments of bone. Though whether she would ever be able to give birth in future given the damage she had suffered, none of the doctors could say.
And of course, the Eagle Union wasn't spared either.
Cassin and Downes was one such, albeit horrific example. A creature by the name of a Binder had fused itself with Downes and raped Cassin, the two girls trapped by the insectoid. The most horrific part of it was that the Binder was required for Downes to remain alive, and as such the three beings were still alive and together, trapped in a secure cell.
Last she heard a massive surgery was to take place, with the Binder getting knocked unconscious with a concoction of drugs, followed by Cassin being removed from its grasp and having Downes hooked up to oxygen tubes. From there they would have to spend hours upon hours working to separate Downes from the Binder by way of, bluntly speaking, ripping them apart. The Binder had quite literally melded to her body, parts of them mixing and some of her organs even becoming assimilated. It would take many long hours to separate them, and even then Downes' fate was uncertain. Death was a very real possibility; she may well be too far gone to save. Not even accounting for the pregnancies that would ensue from being mated with.
''...haah.'' Bismarck opened her eyes, slowly sitting up.
Pain flared in her side, but memories of all those that suffered kept her from complaining. She wasn't supposed to be up and about, but she needed to. As leader of the Ironblood, she couldn't afford to have a few minor wounds keep her down. Thus she reached over to boots and pulled them onto her feet, grunting from the effort – already dressed in her usual outfit, minus her jacket.
As she tied her shoes her mind went back to the others, recounting the report in grisly detail. Eldridge and Grozny had been two other Destroyers who had been caught; ravenously mated with by Goblins. They had survived for the most part, and their stoic natures made it hard to ascertain the mental damage they suffered, but the two had went about their days with remarkable normalcy. Both remained close to each other, almost intimately so, but few questioned them. If they had bonded over their trauma, perhaps even romantically so – even if such romance was a twisted, heartbreaking one – nobody would stop them. Better to find comfort in someone who could understand them, than try and endure it alone.
''Mn...'' Bismarck grunted as she tied her shoes, slowly rising up into a standing position and throwing on her coat – leaning heavily on the bedside table for support in the process.
Others weren't as lucky as the two Destroyers. Vauquelin and Hanazuki had both been trapped in the Eagle Union dorms when it collapsed, saved only thanks to their durability. Physically they were fine aside from some internal damage that came as a result of being defiled by such a massive creature, but that damage could be treated. Mentally though was another story. Hanazuki was a mess, often found crying and sometimes doing it unknowingly; Bismarck herself had seen the pink-haired Destroyer with silent streams of tears down her cheeks as she stared at some flowers. She wouldn't say what she had been thinking about at the time, and Bismarck didn't pry.
Vauquelin was slightly better off, but still damaged. She was petrified of spiders to the point of becoming hysteric at the sight of one even if it was smaller than a grain of rice, to the point of throwing a table and chair at it in the hopes of killing it. Spiderwebs terrified her to even more extreme levels, since it meant that a spider was around, but she didn't know where. Naturally her room was swept on a daily basis for webs and spiders, and Vauquelin made the staff spray down the windows and corners with bug-killing spray on a daily basis, even if inhaling the spray caused her to cough due to the lack of ventilation, on account of her windows being shut all day and night.
Hermione had been with the two when they were first caught in the web, though she herself had been captured and raped by Orcs, and later an Orc Chief. The damage was severe. Her hips were broken in places and her pelvic bone broken, causing internal bleeding amongst other things, along with possible organ punctures – worsened by a later defilement when she was at Akashi's camp. Her physical condition was severe, but mentally she was just as bad; unresponsive and only ever muttering in her sleep, begging for forgiveness for her failure. Her Commander was supposed to visit her in the coming days, given their apparent close relationship, in the hopes of healing her mental strife.
'I wish him luck with that.' Bismarck quietly thought, grunting as she shifted her hand onto the wall – making her way to the door. 'I don't imagine it'll be easy.'
Speaking of commanding officers, Queen Elizabeth and her two sisters, Warspite and Valiant, had also been claimed by the mist. Warspite and Valiant got away with some wounds and damaged prides, but Queen Elizabeth had her pride utterly shattered, and had become something of a recluse. Warspite and Valiant remained close, and though they were tight-lipped during the times they stubbornly limped out of their rooms to keep their queen and sister company, it was clear Elizabeth would need a long time to heal, mentally-speaking. The inevitable pregnancy all three were facing would likely make-or-break the queen.
'Some support wouldn't go amiss.' Bismarck noted firmly. 'Given what has occurred, old grudges cannot continue to divide us. Perhaps having a confidant in a fellow leader may offer her some comfort, and allow her to step back onto the battlefield against the Sirens sooner...'
Speaking of the Royal Navy, Cheshire and Drake were two other Prototype girls who had fallen to the mist. Drake had been bound and raped by a giant Mantis, but had for the most part gotten away alive, albeit pregnant with a Mantis. Her pride damaged, but otherwise in-tact. Cheshire however was suffering much worse; her whole body slowly sprouting flowers, plants growing from her skin and overall transforming her into a hedge statue, much like what had happened to Isuzu and Nagara. Scientists were hurriedly trying to stop or at least slow the process, but it seemed that her death would be inevitable.
The most heart-breaking aspect of it was that she asked to be let into the garden, to 'become one' with the flowers. Some were considering letting her do that; fulfilling her final wish.
Bismarck grimaced at the dark thought. Would it be a mercy to let her die as she wanted, or force her to die in a cold, sterile hospital room as doctors tried frantically to save her?
Death surrounded by friends in the warm summer sunshine, or death alone in the dark. Bismarck knew what she'd choose if given the choice.
Sighing Bismarck continued her slow, limping walk towards the door. Her injuries flared and caused her pain but she stubbornly ignored it, taking one step at a time until she finally reached the door – just as it swung open.
''...why did I suspect you would leave your room?''
''Tirpitz...'' Bismarck made a face, soon exhaling. ''It must be done.''
''The doctors will be annoyed. They don't need more work.'' Tirpitz pointedly said. ''And I'm sure you don't want yourself on their bad side.''
Bismarck just grunted, continuing to hobble into the hallway. Seeing that Tirpitz shook her head and wrapped her arm around her blonde sister-ship, helping her down the hallway as they made their way towards Bismarck's obvious destination. Just thinking of her reminded her of the other Submarines that had been caught in the chaos underwater.
U-101 and I-168 were two of the Submarines that had branched off with Albacore during the rescue mission. U-101 had taking a severe beating, having been chomped at the waist by a Shark and violated by its cock-like tongue, letting go of her only once she was impregnated. However the serrated teeth had caused massive damage, resulting in her losing near-fatal amounts of blood, damage to her hip and pelvic bones and extensive internal damage to muscle and tissue. She was lucky to not be ripped in half, and was currently undergoing surgery to fix her up.
In comparison I-168 got off lightly, having been paralysed by a Jellyfish until she was later saved by some other Submarines. Currently resting, she had survived the experience with little more than humiliation, hypoxia and a pregnancy; a very light result compared to the fate of others.
''Mn...'' Bismarck grunted lightly as her leg flared in pain, forcing her to put a hand on the wall to keep moving. Tirpitz helped guide her, the two slowing down a bit but still walking in silence.
Three other Submarines had also suffered the bitter taste of defeat. U-110 had died, caught by a tentacle monster and eventually drowning, the monster continuing to mate with her corpse whilst perhaps unaware she wasn't alive any more. Her corpse had been retrieved and was set to be cremated and returned to the Ironblood much like Z46. U-522 and U-557 on the other hand got off with only moderate injuries, the former having been raped by a Squidman before being freed whilst the latter was mated with by a Starfish. Both were currently recovering, their looming pregnancies heavy on their minds.
Both Leipzig and Z1 were also caught, although they were captured by Scorpio. Raped and abused, the two suffered the painful fate of being injected with the monster's venom, or venoms as it were. Z1 had her pelvis broken and her hips fractured, causing significant internal damage, no thanks to the large cock that had penetrated her petite frame. She was currently comatose and scheduled for surgery, the venom inside her slowly fading as her blood was carefully filtered.
Leipzig on the other hand, suffered much worse. She had been injected with a unique poison that messed with her infamously weak heart, forcing her to wake back up the moment she blacked out. Even with her blood being filtered the effects were still strong, preventing the poor cruiser from getting a wink of sleep; able to only rest for a few moments before her heart-rate suddenly sped up and she was forced awake again. Sleep medicine was considered, but considering the risk of it interfering with the venom disastrously, the doctors had decided to let the poison run its course first. Even if it meant Leipzig had to suffers days of no sleep, constant vomiting and agony as she upset her internal wounds.
''...hm?'' Bismarck glanced ahead as a familiar form spoke up as she passed them. ''Shouldn't you be in bed, Bismarck?''
''Mn... just going for a walk.'' Bismarck replied tersely, not in the mood for talk.
Perhaps sensing that Deutschland huffed and continued walking, Graf Spee behind her – both of them dressed, but noticeably leaning on each other for support. Both had been defiled by Kawakaze's offspring, the Chimera, but had mostly escaped with minimal injuries beyond the rape itself. Hardly a good fate, but compared to others they were considered lucky.
Arizona was another who got away with fairly minimal injuries. Though traumatised by the event, the Eagle Union Battleship had gotten away with just being defiled and impregnated by a giant Wasp and Ant, and then later a Lizardman who had caught her at Akashi's medical area. She was actually expected to be fully healed in just a matter of days, a week at most. Though when she would be confident enough to return to the battlefield, especially with her unknown, possibly chimeric offspring, was another question entirely.
'Speaking of the Eagle Union girls...'
Cleveland and her sisters Columbia, Montpelier and Denver had all been infected by Corruption. Without Corruption itself being around they held no risk of being controlled, but the infection remained, and it was doubtful even surgery would get rid of it – it was part of them, now. The four had taken it hard at first, but some words from Helena during one of their meetings had apparently eased their concerns somewhat. Bismarck would trust the blue-haired cruiser on that.
Amongst others that were saved were Norfolk and Centaur; the former rescued from some Werewolves and the latter from some Orcs. Both were injured and battered, but somewhat fine. Centaur was shaken but still had the will to move on, though Norfolk was a wreck, and had been suffering from nightmares ever since her return. Dorsetshire, her younger sister, was scheduled to arrive soon in the hopes of abating that and giving her sister some sense of safety, though how well it'd work out was anyone's guess.
'Though not everyone has untouched sister-ships there to comfort them...' Bismarck grimly noted as she manoeuvred around a gurney.
Maya and Kinu were both good examples of that. Both had fought valiantly but ultimately succumbed to Spitters until they were later rescued by Alabama. They were a lot better than the likes of Norfolk, both mentally and physically, and even Bismarck herself felt that they would be ready to return to service within a week. Perhaps it was due to the brief nature of their defilement or their stubborn personalities, but they recovered remarkably fast both physically and psychologically, their pride wounded but little else. Though debate on what they would do with their growing offspring was up in the air.
'Same can't be said for Fletcher though.' Bismarck noted, expression darkening. 'Or her sisters.'
The six Fletcher-class girls had been ganged up on and defiled by Goblins. Foote had escaped with some mild physical trauma and was shaken up by the ordeal, but was making progress towards recovery, both physically and mentally. Charles Ausburne came out of it bitter and almost resentful, and though she had been returning to her normal self somewhat the bitterness was still evident in her posture. Whether it was over her loss of innocence or that nobody had saved them before the first painful thrust came, she wasn't sure.
Spence and Thatcher had gotten off the worst of the six. Spence had a bite taken out of her shoulder and neck that required serious surgery along with an IV to help with the blood loss, and was expected to go under extensive psychological trials given the damage done to her mind in the wake of such trauma, not helped by some venom injected inside her by a Scorpio. Thatcher on the other hand had her shoulder broken, and while not so mentally horrifying, it had still left the Destroyer terribly shaken and meek, and the severity of her broken shoulder would take a while for it to heal.
Fletcher and Aulick didn't suffer the same fates, but they weren't spared either. Aulick was broken mentally, little more than a sniffling, quiet mess in her room, often found sitting in the corner with her back to the wall or with her sisters, but rarely speaking. Fletcher tried to be strong and put everything behind her, but the burden of being the eldest of her ship-class coupled with her own trauma was weighing her down greatly. Bismarck wouldn't be surprised to hear that she did something drastic.
And of course, even their saviour Alabama wasn't spared.
Found in the same building as Hermione, the dark-skinned Battleship had been violated by an Orc Chief and then by a group of Orcs, her lungs permeated with Orc pheromones. After escaping from the mist she made a slow recovery, and didn't seem too traumatised over what had happened, only defeated. Much like Kinu and Maya, she was expected to make a full recovery, the birth of her monstrous offspring predicted to be only a minor bump in the road.
It was only thanks to Zuikaku and Shoukaku that Alabama and Hermione had been rescued, but they in turn were caught and violated by Fallen Angels, the forms of humans malformed by Corruption. They survived the ordeal with only light wounds, and both took it rather well; accepting it as a grim fact that was perhaps unavoidable. Aside from a bit more closeness between the two sister-ships, they remained as they were before they entered the mist.
'And thanks to Enterprise, they remained that way.' Bismarck reminded herself. That carrier had a knack for saving the day, perhaps due to her strong ideals.
Other Ship-Girls weren't so lucky to have the Grey Ghost's protection, however. Bailey and Benson had been caught and raped by Lizardmen, and while they had been saved it wasn't until they had already been impregnated, sealing their fates. Benson tried to maintain her upbeat personality, but the way she just smiled with hollow eyes foretold of the internalised trauma, perhaps one she was trying to pretend didn't exist. Bailey on the other hand didn't hide it; babbling about bunnies with more fervour than before, almost obsessively.
Rumour had it that she perceived the growing offspring inside herself as a space-rabbit too. Whether this was just denial, or an indication of some deeper mental imbalance, nobody knew.
Additionally, their saviours – Ibuki and Cooper – had also fallen to defilement as well. Cooper had gotten gang-banged by Werewolves and painfully violated, and as a result she returned to the secret base a lifeless, shut-in husk, simply going through the motions. Compared to others her condition was much simpler, yet also sadder. Sane enough to comprehend what happened to her, but broken enough that she couldn't find some semblance of peace, constantly wandering with empty eyes as she tried to find something to bring her comfort. Ibuki on the other hand...
Bismarck grimaced. Schizophrenic was the best way to put it. Whatever had attacked Ibuki had dealt significant mental damage to her alongside clearly violating her. One moment she would be perfectly calm, only to then see something imaginary and begin to talk with it, or see something and panic desperately, begging to be saved from something that wasn't truly there. Human-made medicines helped somewhat, but the strength of them wasn't enough to overcome Ibuki's natural tolerance to drugs, and nothing of the strength required was available.
There wasn't exactly a market for anti-schizophrenic medication strong enough to put down an elephant, after all.
Still, something was being arranged for her, and until that point everyone just had to remain alert when around the mentally-damaged cruiser. Small mercies she wasn't violent during her episodes – but that may change with the birth of her unknown offspring, her violator unknown. Cooper wasn't exactly in a talking mood, after all.
Bismarck shook her head, dispelling the thought. Some strength returned to her and she took her hand off the wall, briefly drawn out of her thoughts as Tirpitz guided her through a set of doors and out into the open sunshine, wandering the short distance between two buildings. As she did so she spotted Odin and Mainz, the two sat out in the gardens with quiet expressions, speaking in low murmurs.
Odin looked her way, offering a nod. Bismarck replied with a strong one of her own; more to reassure the Battlecruiser than anything else.
Odin and Mainz had also suffered, though they had survived. They had been rescued from the Scorpio violating them shortly after the mist faded, and had mostly come to terms with what had happened; showing remarkable mental resilience. To them it was a humiliating, bitter defeat and humiliation, but one that could be undone by unleashing hell upon the Sirens. Perhaps then it wasn't strange to hear that the two were making preparations for some training exercises, both seeking to hone their skills. Odin herself rejected any considerations towards her growing offspring, though she did spare a look at her stomach when the topic was brought up, perhaps weighing her options.
Whether she decided to just kill it and be done with it, or perhaps even try and raise it, was still being considered by the Battlecruiser herself.
''Perhaps she is considering raising it as a weapon of vengeance...?''
''Hm?'' Tirpitz quirked a brow at her.
Realising she had spoken aloud Bismarck flushed lightly, passing by some officers who went out the doors they just came through. ''I was just wondering about the fate of Odin's offspring.''
Tirpitz hummed in understanding. ''It's too early to say, especially with one such as Odin.''
''Indeed...''
Some weren't so slow to choose, however. Mogami, Suzuya and Kumano had all been violated too, namely by Kawakaze's Chimera. Suzuya had been paralysed by the Chimera and defiled, but other than some abrasions to her breasts and cheek, she was recovering. Kumano on the other hand had earned some deep gashes on her hips from where the monsters held her, along with some on her breasts and neck, but otherwise survived. Mogami though suffered the most, getting impaled through the chest by Kawakaze herself, which combined with the many gashes on her body resulted in significant blood loss.
She had been saved, but only barely – currently on an IV and life support. All three girls had clearly debated what to do with their inevitable offspring. Suzuya had been ambivalent about it but was leaning towards killing it once it was born, Kumano had no shame about killing it, and Mogami had been hesitant to do either, perhaps wanting to see what it would look like first. Abortion remained a possibility, but the doctors were hesitant seeing as how unnatural the monsters were; there was no telling if it'd work, or worse if it might trigger a negative reaction. Thus, such an option was considered a last-resort.
Some though, didn't get even the option of considering the fate of their incoming offspring.
Nagato and Mutsu had both perished. Alone that was significant, but the way they died made it all the more sickening. Oni had gotten ahold of them most likely, violating them so deeply that their insides were literally crushed and their organs mushed up, bones breaking like toothpicks. Their deaths would've been agonising beyond belief; the remnants of their corpses had to be carefully patched up before being sent back for burial.
The death of the Sakura Empire's head shrine maiden had also dealt a significant blow to morale, and many were mourning the loss on top of their own grief, worsening the atmosphere for many.
Noshiro was one good example of that. Distraught and angry, she had taken to training with silent fury, perceiving their deaths as a failure on her part – a perception worsened by the fact the medical camp had been overrun. Others had tried to convince her that it wasn't her fault, that there was nothing she could've done, but she didn't listen; instead channelling her anger into her training.
Akashi on the other hand had become much more reserved and skittish, jumping at the slightest sound and desperately trying to please anyone who approached her, as if in fear of reprisal. She truly lived up to the stereotype of 'scaredy cat', though few could blame her. Worse was that, as a Repair Ship, she was very much needed in aiding others, but the stress of that job, combined with her trauma and undoubted pregnancy, was slowly eroding the cat-girl's mental state.
It was only so long until she snapped under the strain.
Twitching uncomfortably at the thought Bismarck paused for rest, stopping to lean against the wall – they were only a short distance away from their destination anyway. Tirpitz understood, silently standing next to her with one arm around hers, ready to catch her should her leg give out. Bismarck appreciated that, subtly patting Tirpitz's hand but doing nothing else, just resting for the moment.
As she waited the forms of Kongou and Kirishima passed, clearly going to visit Hiei and Haruna. The four Battleships had been the last to see Mutsu and Nagato, with Hiei and Haruna having been raped by the legion of Minotaur that attacked them. Kongou and Kirishima had gotten away from the mist unharmed for the most part, but Haruna and Hiei suffered broken bones, mushed-up insides, battered wombs and overall agony. It would be a while until they returned to the field, no question about it.
''Mn...'' Bismarck grunted as she pushed off the wall, silently signalling that she was ready to move again. Tirpitz complied, and once again they were off.
Avrora passed them by, offering a slight nod and side-eye, but little else. The Northern Parliament woman had become a bit of an oddity, surviving her attacker but not naming what it was – perhaps out of shame. She never spoke of what happened even to the point of becoming agitated, the emotion distinctly foreign on Avrora's normally-gentle features. Whatever had happened had clearly wounded her pride, and the lacerations inside her womanhood might indicate why, though few were going to pry into what was obviously a sensitive subject. Not even the officers or scientists dared.
Akagi and Kaga were in a similar boat. Surrounded and isolated they were attacked, Kaga getting pinned down and fucked by a Lizardman. She escaped with only moderate wounds, but a damaged pride, like so many others. Akagi on the other hand fought against an Orc Chief, ultimately losing against it and getting defiled, a stab wound through her arm causing damage; it'd take a good few weeks to heal something so intricate. The damage to her pride though was much more extensive, as Bismarck herself had noticed when she saved the carrier from the Orc Chief's clutches.
The three carriers with Akagi and Kaga had also fallen. Chiyoda and Chitose took comfort in each other, their mutual rape leaving them quiet and always remaining close to each other, but both had resolved to move forwards, and had quite plainly stated that they would give birth to the monsters before deciding whether to erase them from the world, or to raise them as their own.
''Hah... haah...'' Bismarck spotted the door she wanted coming into sight, even as information kept playing through her head; slowly nearing its crescendo.
Richelieu and Jeanne d'Arc were also victims, as she later found out. Jeanne d'Arc had been humiliated and violated in front of Richelieu, before proceeding to rape Richelieu herself; and doing it gleefully. The damage both took physically was fairly minor. The mental damage was unspeakable. Richelieu was heartbroken, unable to stay strong for her followers and remaining holed up in her room, quiet and often crying to herself or praying at all times of day, perhaps trying to find some measure of comfort.
Jeanne d'Arc, though, was the worse of the two. She was a mess. Bearing a literal corruption in her body, the first thing she had done when she awoke at the base was impale herself with her own sword, refusing to exist with such evil in her. She almost succeeded, halfway through bleeding out when the doctors found her and called security, desperately patching her back up. She then proceeded to try and kill herself a second time in the shower, her sword halfway in her neck when it hit the wall, stopping it from getting any deeper and also getting stuck there, preventing her from trying again.
Last Bismarck heard, the maiden was detained in her room with her arms chained to stop her from attempting suicide again, and with a 24/7 guard watch on her.
One might hope that Richelieu could talk some sense into her, but unfortunately the cardinal was too much of a wreck to offer sympathies at the moment, her faith and heart in ruins. Nobody could blame her; everything that could've gone wrong went wrong, with perhaps the only mercy being Enterprise's timely arrival sparing the Submarines from being infected with Corruption's influence too.
Bismarck stopped walking, her eyes landing on the handle of the door in front of her – finally reaching the one name in her mind she hadn't wanted to, but was unable to ignore.
U-556.
Her loyal blue-haired knight had been paired with U-73 and U-81. U-73 had been the one to carry I-168 to safety, and had gotten raped by a Squidman as a result. Aside from the pain of being so roughly defiled, she got away with her life and only some minor injuries, forming a close bond with I-168 and visiting her often. U-81 on the other hand ended up getting raped by a large tentacle, one that had dealt significant internal damage to her womanhood and womb, along with a few minor fractures to her bone and pelvis. She survived, but was looking at a long recovery before she could swim normally.
…
''Are you going to open the door?'' Tirpitz pointedly asked her.
''...yes.'' Bismarck inhaled a slow breath, and then let it out in a long exhale. ''I'm going in.''
The door clicked open as she said it, and Bismarck followed through on her words, stepping into the room. It was quiet, the sunlight partially making its way into the room past one of the unclosed curtains, but Bismarck's gaze was on the bed. She hadn't been able to see U-556 until now; everything had been too hectic, and she was so tired by the time she got to the secret base she only had the strength to give her account of things and read through some reports before falling asleep.
She had also read U-556's damage report, along with what U-81 had pieced together. Whatever existed within the cave used tentacles as a defence mechanism of sorts, and had more than likely thrashed U-556 about along with raping her; evidenced by the damage that extended from her asshole all the way to her throat. And the list of damage was equal parts extensive, and worrisome.
Broken leg, multiple broken ribs, partially-collapsed pharynx, punctured breastbone, damage to her stomach and the surrounding organs, internal bleeding and bruising, alongside bruising all over her body. Her skull had fractures in multiple places as well, and the risk of a brain haemorrhage was high. It was a miracle she was alive, not helped by the fact she was unconscious at the bottom of the ocean several hundred metres down, causing hypoxia and the collapse of one lung during her ascent.
''My dear knight...'' Bismarck whispered, slowly walking into the room.
U-556 was wrapped up in bandages so thick her whole body was hidden, the thin sheet over her hiding any skin that showed. A breathing mask was on her face, transparent enough that one could see her small lips shift with each slow breath, her eyes gently shut.
Bismarck stood by her bedside, cupping her cheek and stroking it with a thumb.
And slowly, U-556's tired eyes cracked open. ''Lord... Bismarck...?''
Her words were laboured, unable to speak without inhaling a deep breath first, and it was clear each word took effort.
''I'm here, U-556.'' Bismarck quietly but firmly reassured, taking her pale hand in her own and squeezing.
U-556 blinked slowly up at her for a long few moments before she spoke again. ''Did I... do... good...?''
''The best.'' Bismarck nodded slowly. ''Set to get a medal, I believe. Such a thing is only suitable for a knight of your calibre.''
The faintest of smiles graced U-556's visage and she shut her eyes. ''I'm... glad...''
Within moments, U-556 had drifted off again, too weak to remain conscious for long.
Bismarck didn't force her; knowing that rest was the best medicine here. But she wasn't ready to go yet, prompting her to instead take a seat next to her incapacitated knight and hold her hand, content to wait for a few hours – shooing Tirpitz off as she got comfortable.
She was scheduled to have a meeting in her room with Akagi over war preparations against the Sirens, with Washington set to arrive to offer her own input while Enterprise was busy recovering, though it was expected that the carrier would stubbornly join in.
Nobody blamed her – all of them were eager to pay the Sirens back for what they had done.
War was one thing. Defilement and torture was another.
Bismarck's eyes gleamed, quiet fury stirring within them. 'Indeed...'
'I do believe... the gloves have come off, Sirens.'
They would pay for everything they had done – tenfold.
Of that, Bismarck swore on her soul.
X-x-X
Meanwhile, in a world away in an unknown Mirror Seas, The Creator sat alone in its throne, face hidden beneath its hood.
''Hm... interesting...'' It waved a gloved hand, causing multiple holographic screens to flicker by, its unseen eyes absorbing the information seamlessly. ''So this was the change... fewer broke than the last simulation...''
''So it's working?''
The Creator tilted its hooded head slightly, gazing back at the stiff form of Key Point G, the stoic carrier gazing upon the entity with cold eyes.
''Of course.'' The Creator then remarked, gazing back at the holographic panels. ''They're battered and bruised, but they'll come out of it stronger than they were. As planned.''
As planned indeed. The whole point of the mist, the monsters, the endless simulations – all of it was to make the Ship-Girls stronger. Suffering was the motivator of mankind, and Ship-Girls were of no exception. By enduring trials and tribulations, by surviving battles both mental and physical, they would grow stronger in both spirit and mind. Regular battles would suffice, but it was take too long, and their growth would eventually plateau as they 'got used to' battles.
Key Point G's expression darkened, gazing at the back of The Creator's head with contempt. The mist was the solution to that problem. A place of horrors that far outweighed many battlefields, where death was a release and defeat meant an endless hell – it was a damn strong motivator. Those that fell were too weak to grow much stronger anyway; those that survived had the potential. It was survival of the strongest, in other words.
But that didn't mean she had to like it.
She had been one of them, once upon a time. Before she, Takao and all the other 'Key Points' got whisked up in this mess with the Sirens.
A twitch ran through Key Point G. From behind The Creator the entity couldn't see it; powerful though it was, it didn't have eyes on the back of its hood. Just one arrow and-
''Oh don't even think about it.''
Key Point G paused.
''You're nowhere near strong enough to defeat me.'' The Creator's words were blunt and uncaring, its attention still on the data it had gotten from the mist. ''Although if it is strength you desire, perhaps you'd like to join your friends here in the mist?''
It was a threat. Obey or be cowed into obedience.
And as much as she wanted to put an arrow through its skull, as much as she despised playing the bad guy, committing evil for the sake of the greater good-
-in the end, she was just a cowering rat hiding from a conniving cat.
''...no thanks.''
''Hmph. Suit yourself.'' The Creator huffed, waving her off with its gloved hand. ''Be gone with you then. I must sift through this information; Helena's development has been significant, though she still has the potential for more. The same could be said of U-556 and Bismarck...''
Key Point G stayed to listen to longer, walking away with a dark expression.
Perhaps not today.
Perhaps not tomorrow.
But one day she would end the madness, and atone from her crimes.
[END]
A/N: Thanks for reading~